Turkiye orders arrest of top-tier footballers, officials in gambling probe

At slightest 27 Super Lig nine players are suspected of having stake connected matches involving their ain teams.

Prosecutors successful Turkiye person ordered the detention of 46 people, including 29 footballers from top-tier clubs, nine presidents, commentators and others, arsenic portion of a widening probe into insider betting that has roiled the country’s nonrecreational shot leagues.

Among the arrested players, 27 were suspected of having stake connected matches involving their ain teams, the nationalist prosecutor’s bureau successful Istanbul said successful a connection connected Friday.

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One was Metehan Baltaci, who plays for reigning Turkish champions Galatasaray, it said. Earlier this month, helium had been suspended for 9 months implicit the betting scandal.

The probe has rocked Turkish football, with six referees placed successful pre-trial detention connected November 10, on with the president of Eyupspor, a nine successful Turkiye’s apical Super Lig division.

Prosecutors did not place the different 26 players suspected of bets involving their ain teams, but said Mert Hakan Yandas, who plays for Fenerbahce, different large Istanbul club, had placed bets done idiosyncratic else’s account.

The A Haber quality transmission reported that the erstwhile president of Adana Demirspor, Murat Sancak, was besides included successful the detention list. It besides listed respective different players.

None of the clubs mentioned could instantly beryllium reached for comment.

The prosecutor’s bureau said constabulary had truthful acold detained 35 of the 46 radical named successful the apprehension order. Five were known to beryllium presently abroad, it said.

Two nine presidents were among those targeted by the bid for “attempting to power the outcome” of a lucifer betwixt their 2 third-division teams successful the 2023-2024 season, the connection said.

The lucifer had caught the attraction of investigators due to the fact that neither broadside had adjacent made 1 effort to people a goal, Turkish media reported, with respective newspapers saying that was wherever the full probe began.

So far, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended more than 1,000 Turkish players, 25 of them from the Super Lig, with the sanctions ranging from 45 days to 12 months.

Only 1 was a overseas nationalist – Konyaspor’s Senegalese winger Alassane Ndao, who was suspended for 12 months.

The immense majority, much than 900, are from the 3rd and 4th divisions.

In October, the TFF suspended astir 150 referees for betting connected matches, each of whom person since been dismissed.